How i was a Brony
by Key Scales
Summary: After being left at the altar, Ted's friends want to cheer him up. However he finds solace in a different way. A more... magical way. A way full of friendship, bright colors, and... ponies?


He opened the door into the dark apartment, flipping on the lights and calling for his roommates. "Marshall? Lily? Are you guys home?" Ted Mosby had left early after a hard day of work, and he wanted to just relax and watch his favorite television show. To do that however, required secrecy. Ted cared for his friends deeply but often they intervened into his life. They had already had their famous "Interventions" for various addictions. Like Marshall's Infamous Dr. Seuss hat, Lily's terribly fake British accent, and Barney's Pyrotechnic tricks. If they found out he watched a "kids show" who knows what they would do! He popped a bag of popcorn and added butter to it, grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat down on the worn red couch. After being left at the altar by Stella, Ted had been feeling very sad until he stumbled upon the show on the internet.

He had mocked it for its bright colors and wondered why so many grown adults would watch it. He had nothing better to do, though he considered watching Robin's Canadian pop videos again despite having seen it hundreds of times already. The words to "Let's Go To The Mall" were inscribed in his brain. He clicked on that bright image of smiling little ponies and he never went back.

Last time he'd watched, Twilight had been zapped by "Princess Cadence" and the show had ended with cheerful music like always before Marshall had come home and invited Ted down to MacLaren's for a drink to cheer him up. Ted selected "The Royal Wedding: Part 2" from Netflix and curled up into his blankets to find out Twilight's fate.

Right when Ted had gotten to the "This Day Aria", he heard people coming up the steps. He quickly tried to shut off the TV, but he tripped over his blankets and the remote fell from his grasp. He struggled to reach and get it, missing it by mere centimeters. He stretched and grabbed it. He tried to hit pause, but Princess Cadence kept singing. His fingers were greasy from the popcorn, and continued to slip no matter how hard he attacked the button in his stage of panic.

"And that, my friends, is why you should never ever ever wear short shorts! It's my one main ru-TED WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Barney shouted as he and the gang stepped into the room, finding Ted swathed in blankets, popcorn and beer spilled everywhere, and a pink equine...thing on the TV. "Guys, this is a lot less weird than it looks. I.. I'm a Brony." He said, standing up, throwing the blankets on the couch. "The show's helped me cheer up a lot since the wedding, and I really like it. It's a cute show that talk about the true meaning of friendship." Barney spoke up in outrage,"THEODORE VIVIAN MOSBY!" "That still isn't my name, bro." Ted spoke out of habit more then actually caring for Barney's comment. "Ted.. oh Ted... oh Teddy Ted Ted. I cannot.. I cannot even bear to look at you. Good-Bye!" He walked out dramatically, slamming the door. Ted just started cleaning up the floor, trying to clear up the popcorn as best as he could.

Marshall looked at Robin, Robin looked at Lily, and Lily looked at Marshall. Kids, you remember the conversations my friends can have just by using their minds? Well, this was one of the most important conversations they've had. Robin looked at Marshall and Lily and thought, "Guys... You know what we have to do, don't you?" "Oh no, we couldn't... Ted.. He's been through enough, don't you think?" Lily thought, her eyes becoming sad and huge like a puppy's. "Yeah, Ted has been through a lot, but maybe this could help, Lilypad. I'm in. It'll only take a bit to write up our letters, and the banner should still be in the bathroom, where I hid it after last time." Robin blinked. "Why do you keep it in the bathroom, Marshall?" Lily mind-answered, "So that when we lived here, each time he thinks about pulling his striped hat out I can send him to the bathroom for a time-out." Robin merely nodded, "Let's get to it." Ted just looked down at the popcorn kernels, wishing he had left the bag in the microwave longer.

Robin knelt down next to Ted. "Ted, I know you've been sad since Stella left, but is this really how you wanna cope with your feelings? I know you Ohio folk are prone to hiding your feelings... But why would you watch a kids show. I mean that's just ridiculous. You know what you need?" Lily quickly added, "Other than a Therapist?" "Ooh, Good One, Lil." They high-fived in synchronization. "But seriously Ted, You need a drink. Let's go to the bar. " Ted just looked at her, smiling.

"Robin, I don't need a drink. I'm fine. " She grabbed him by his collar and pulled his face close to hers. "Ted, You need a drink. I'm gonna get you a drink if I have to drag you down there and funnel it down your throat." He just walked to the door smiling, grabbing his jacket and keys. "It's decided, Robin and I will go get a drink. I'm sorry about the mess, guys." Marshall looked back at his best friend, smiling. "No problem, buddy. We'll take care of this." Ted headed out the door and Marshall's grin faded. "I'm worried about him." Lily patted his back and looked to her husband. "It's okay baby. Robin, you clean up that mess, we'll get this one." Robin nodded solemnly and headed out the door.

In MacLaren's, Barney was busy hitting on some busty blonde when Ted and Robin walked in. The girl ran her hands up Barney's collar. "Yeah, you know what I really hate? Liars. I really just want some cute guy to cuddle with and we can have a real relationship." The instant her lips formed the syllable "ars" in "Liars" Barney had rushed away to his usual booth.

"What's up Robin? Acquaintance?" He greeted them, not looking Ted in the eyes. "Oh come on, Barney. You're really that angry about me watching an adorable kids show?" Barney's eyes darted around. "Uh.. yeah. Of course. I mean... what kind of man watches a freakin' kids show Ted. What kind of a BRO watches a kids show? It is a Bro-sin. Even though we normally smile on sins-High Five, Robin." He held her hand up to Robin and she picked up her drink, looking disgusted. "We frown upon this sin. Why would you watch something so innocent? So Pure? That is the opposite of what we bros do Ted! Well not the opposite of what we DO, SELF-FIVE!" He raised booth of his hands in the air as a show of his awesomeness. "But you know what I'm trying to say." Ted was slightly angered by this, but decided to talk out his feelings.

"Barney, you ridicule the show because you know it takes real masculinity to watch the show. I bet neither of you could watch the show without making some kind of rude joke." Ted took a drink and looked at them. Robin merely scoffed. "Puh-lease Teddy boy. You're just trying to get us to watch the show. C'mon we aren't that easily persuaded." Barney looked down at his drink smirking and muttering something to himself. He raised his head slowly for effect. "Yes. We cannot be so easily manipulated as though by invisible strings. Now, I have a suit fitting today. I lost a dear friend last week." As he stood out of the booth, Ted and Robin looked concerned. "What happened Barney?"

"It was a beautiful ash color. An Armani. So much to live for. So many woman to help ensnare. Yet due to those hippie chicks at Ted's wedding, It was... well... It's not fit for combat anymore. I'll miss you buddy." He raised his fingers to the sky in a salute. "So, I'm off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of suits. Bye Guys!" He walked out of MacLarens, avoiding the blonde's curious looks, keeping his head down in a solemn stare. Up the familiar stairs.

Barney walked to the edge of the street and raised his hand. A beautifully polished black vehicle pulled up to the street. "Ranjit, my apartment, pronto. I have an important experiment." Ranjit smiled. "Going to your apartment. Would you like your "get pumped" mix?" Barney grinned devilishly. "Ranjit, that would be 20% cooler."


End file.
